J.S. Bach, Glenn Gould, Herbie Hancock, Mom, Dad, Megan and Brendan, Suba Sankaran, autorickshaw, Jaco Pastorius, Bill Evans, Joni Mitchell, Miles Davis, Mel Torme, Oscar Peterson, prog rock, anything with a Rhodes in it, caffeine, any music just left of centre, Steve Gadd, Mike Lalonde, Bryan Humphreys, fermented grain beverages, Kevin Fox, Rich Brown, James Brown, Tower of Power, Gil Evans, Darmon Meader, Peter Eldridge
Sounds Like
... let's call this "wishes he sounds like" instead!
Voice: Bobby McFerrin, Darmon Meader, Donald Fagen, early Elton John
Piano: Herbie-meets-Bill Evans, with traces of Joe Sample and Chester Thompson
Bass: Jaco at 1/8 speed
Writing: Jazz-pop-rock-latin-polyphonic choral. And Spike Jones.
In a word... eclectic. I always wanted to do everything musical, and I'm still trying!
I studied piano, violin and 'cello as a kid, and according to my Mom, started singing in public when I was three. Things turned in a different direction when I first heard Miles Davis' Kind of Blue at age 16: I sold my 'cello for a Fostex 4-track, took up the electric bass, learned to play mediocre guitar and drums, and started playing and singing jazz.
I went to York University, a great place for budding jacks-of-some-trades, studying piano, bass, and conducting. I also directed a student-run jazz choir there called Wibijazz'n'. I only got a "B" in conducting class though... I missed a final assignment because I was too busy conducting Wibi!
These days, I'm all over the place. For four years, I sang with the Juno-nominated vocal band Cadence. With whatever time is left over I sing with the a cappella all 80s-top-40 group Retrocity (you haven't lived till you've heard "one night in Bangkok" a cappella), and the vocal quartet Hampton Four. I also moonlight as a pianist and bassist, having played with artists from classical violin virtuoso Lara St. John, to subbing in occasionally with my wife Suba's band autorickshaw, even a gig with legendary Canadian rockers Honeymoon Suite. Rock on!
I also work as a producer/engineer, and received a 2006 Juno co-nomination (with mixmeister Adam Messinger) for Engineer of the Year, for the Cadence album Twenty For One.
I'm writing more now as well. I've won a couple of awards for my writing, and just finished co-writing some music for the Canadian channel CTV. Check out the playlist here and let me know what you think. Better yet, head on over to http://www.dylanbell.ca . That's where the action is these days!
Hey Dylan, Wow, I just heard "Gringo Samba" and am totally blown away - great work dude!!! I just wrote a gringo samba of sorts as well, called "ducha de julia". Enjoy, -john
Dylan "E" Bell: GROOVIUS MAXIMUS, super genius and all around multi-talented musical creature. I may be legally required to say that, but it's all true and then some...
All love, all ways,
Suba
